Elder Scrolls Collection

Ever managed to sneak right up to an enemy's exposed back, only to have your companion stand up and start stomping around the place screaming battle cries and alerting the entire dungeon to your presence? The latest Skyrim patch insists that companions will "now sneak properly when player is sneaking." FINALLY. Hopefully that means lone rogues can roll with some company from here on in.

The Bethblog mentions that the patch has moved out of beta and will now apply automatically through Steam. The update also comes with fixes for a few mod issues, and will let you continue to download mods even when you're subscribed to 50 already, hopefully bypassing the pesky limit that some players were running into.

If you're interested in enhancing your copy of Skyrim, but don't know which mods to start with, check out our round-up of the 25 best Skyrim mods, and our guide to the best and weirdest entries so far in Steam's Skyrim workshop. Here are the latest patch notes.

LAUNCHER

Fixed issue with downloading mods when you are subscribed to more than 50 modsFixed crash when loading a subscribed mod that has been removed from Workshop by the authorMod load order functionality

BUG FIXES

Fixed occasional crashes when loading a save that relies on plugins/master files that no longer existFixed issue where controls would become unresponsive while charging an enchanted weaponFixed issue where controls would occasionally become unresponsive while switching from third to first person while using the Arcane EnchanterFixed issue where controls would become unresponsive if activating a crafting station with autorun activeFixed issue where keyboard would fail if Rename Item was selected before choosing the number of charges, while using Arcane EnchanterFixed several issues with remapping buttons while using an Xbox 360 controllerFixed issue where pressing Escape button after fast traveling but before the loading would cause certain menus to stop working properlyFollowers now sneak properly when player is sneaking

If you're playing Skyrim and have an Nvidia card, you'll definitely want to grab the latest driver update. The Nvidia site boasts of significant improvements to Skyrim framerates. Indoor scenes should run 45% faster and Skyrim's grand outdoor vistas will see a 16% boost. The drivers also come with an improved version of the ambient occlusion effect added by the last set of drivers. This adds a subtle layer of extra shadowing and darken the deep cracks in Skyrim's rocky landscapes, boosting their cragginess factor by about 14%.

Modern Warfare 3 gets the same ambient occlusion treatment, boosting war torn grittiness by 32%. Additional AO for the Diablo 3 beta applies a chunky 35.2% hike to lingering sense of dread levels and PhysX fixes improve Batman: Arkham City's bat-punchiness with 10% extra Pow! 4% extra Zam! and a minor increase to overall levels of Biff! You can download it now from the Nvidia site, where they also have some fancy interactive screenshots that show off these Ambient Occlusion updates quite nicely.

The latest Skyrim patch has gone into Steam beta testing with a fix for the "issue with downloading mods when you are subscribed to more than 50 mods," which seems to suggest it'll fix the current 50 mod limit. That's great news for those of us who just can't stop whimsically adding user made updates, slowly turning our copies of Skyrim into a fairground of monocled mudcrabs and gianter giants. You can apply the beta patch by opting in via your Steam settings menu, though Bethesda warn that it is currently in beta, so you're applying it "at your own risk."

Also, if you're unsatisfied with Skyrim's map, or have the urge to perch an ipad next to your monitor so you can plan your route and scout ahead with a few gentle strokes, the Bethesda blog has word of a new official app that you can download to your Apple device right now. The free version will give you the map of Skyrim and the nine major cities. Interior maps and more locations can be bought as extras. You can grab that from the App store now. Meanwhile, here are those patch notes from Bethblog.

LAUNCHER

Fixed issue with downloading mods when you are subscribed to more than 50 modsFixed crash when loading a subscribed mod that has been removed from Workshop by the authorMod load order functionality

BUG FIXES

Fixed occasional crashes when loading a save that relies on plugins/master files that no longer existFixed issue where controls would become unresponsive while charging an enchanted weaponFixed issue where controls would occasionally become unresponsive while switching from third to first person while using the Arcane EnchanterFixed issue where controls would become unresponsive if activating a crafting station with autorun activeFixed issue where keyboard would fail if Rename Item was selected before choosing the number of charges, while using Arcane EnchanterFixed several issues with remapping buttons while using an Xbox 360 controllerFixed issue where pressing Escape button after fast traveling but before the loading would cause certain menus to stop working properly

Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn't that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 7 - if you're just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.

Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn't that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 6 - if you're just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.

Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn't that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 5 - if you're just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.

I keep meaning to write about how remarkable the Skyrim Steam Workshop is, but it seems everyone knows: since the launch last week, the workshop has served over two million mods to Steam users. To put that in perspective, that’s a gigaquad of proto-Peggles. I’m still going to write nice things about how you can basically build your own game with it, but only after I’m done watching Bethesda’s multi-part tutorial on how to use their Skyrim Creation Kit to make and bundle mods for the Workshop. (more…)

The Skyrim Creation Kit was released last Wednesday. Within hours, the Steam Workshop was stuffed with mods, including good ones, bad ones and downright scary ones. In case it wasn't obvious already, Skyrim mods have proved extremely popular with players. Bethesda say that two million mods were downloaded within three days of the release of the Creation Kit.

Players have had plenty to choose from. According to Bethesda "more than 2,500 mods have been published by the gaming community." It's an almost overwhelming selection that ranges from new armour and upgraded textures to new combat moves and devastating magic. Thankfully, the Steam Workshop now has a much needed search bar, making it easier to find mods your friends have recommended. Speaking of which, here's our round up of some of the best Steam Workshop mods so far.

Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn't that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 4 - if you're just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.